My head may lie upon thy breast, but my
heart lies at thy feet."
There was joy in the haunted wood, deep peace, quiet
thankfulness, a springtime of the heart, - not riotous like the May,
but fair and grave and tender like the young world in the sunshine
without the pines. Our lips met again, and then, with my arm
around her, we moved to the giant pine beneath which stood the
minister. He turned at our approach, and looked at us with a quiet
and tender smile, though the water stood in his eyes. " 'Heaviness
may endure for a night,' " he said, " 'but joy cometh in the
morning.' I thank God for you both."
"Last summer, in the green meadow, we knelt before you while
you blessed us, Jeremy," I answered. "Bless us now again, true
friend and man of God."
He laid his hands upon our bowed heads and blessed us, and then
we three moved through the dismal wood and beside the sluggish
stream down to the great bright river. Ere we reached it the pines
had fallen away, the haunted wood was behind us, our steps were
set through a fairy world of greening bough and springing bloom.
The blue sky laughed above, the late sunshine barred our path
with gold. When we came to the river it lay in silver at our feet,
making low music amongst its reeds.
I had bethought me of the boat which I had fastened that morning
to the sycamore between us and the town, and now we moved
along the river bank until we should come to the tree.
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